Shelley Malil

Washington, Aug. 13: America’s best known actor of Indian origin, who rose in Hollywood on the strength of his twin Malayali talents of climbing a coconut tree and riding an elephant, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder.

Shelley Mathew Malil, 43, who lived in Sherman Oaks, not very far from the fashionable Beverly Hills, home to many Hollywood celebrities, was arrested as he stepped off a train in Oceanside, California.

Malil had gone there to meet his attorney to arrange his surrender after the alleged attack on his former girlfriend, Lieutenant Phil Brust of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department told reporters. Some reports said the girl had suffered 20 stab wounds.

In Hollywood, where thousands of aspiring stars see their dreams shattered every year, Malil’s resume was noticed by producers and auditioners soon after his arrival there in 1995 because of his two qualifications: climbing a coconut tree and riding an elephant.

Malil told The Washington Post recently that he put in those qualifications in his resume because “when I came into Hollywood, I needed an edge and had something that made me unique. I haven’t been asked to do them yet”.

On Sunday night, police found Malil’s former girlfriend in a critical condition after they arrived in response to calls from neighbours who heard screams for help and sounds of breaking glass from her home in San Marcos, California, 24km from where Malil was arrested yesterday.

The girlfriend has been identified by the police as Kendra Beebe. She has been described as a 35-year-old mother of two who works as an insurance broker in Carlsbad, California.

Despite her South Asian sounding name, pictures of Kendra, which have appeared on celebrity websites in Hollywood, show her as a blonde.

Her two children were at home, but asleep, when Malil allegedly knifed Kendra. Another man, who is said to be Kendra’s new boyfriend after she split with Malil, was also injured and he ran away to escape Malil’s rage, according to accounts of the incident in the local media.

Malil arrived in the US from Kerala with his parents in 1974 when he was only 10 years old. In Texas, where the family set up home, his parents encouraged Malil to take part in school plays and local theatrical competitions.

From childhood, little Malil had ambitions of becoming a comic actor. His inspiration was Bob Hope, whom he first saw on the only television set in his native Kerala village in his neighbour’s home.

After graduating from New York’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he moved to Hollywood where he immediately landed a role in a TV serial, albeit as a guest star.

A review of Malil’s Hollywood work by this paper shows him having played roles big and small in 55 productions, both for television and the big screen.

He is best known for his part in the 2005 film The 40-Year-Old Virgin. He won an award as one of the “Top 10 Overlooked Performances of 2005” from the Associated Press for his supporting role in this film.